Organellar DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and nuclear random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses of morphotypes of Gracilaria (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) from Chile
Gonzalez, M.; Montoya, R.; Candia, A.; Gomez, P.; Cisternas, M.
Hydrobiologia 326-327: 229-234
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0018-8158 DOI: 10.1007/bf00047812
Accession: 009137813
The extreme phenotypic variability recognized among the species of Gracilaria has highlighted the need for the application of refined methods to help solve taxa identifications. In Chile, there still exists uncertainty about the exact number of Gracilaria species. Our investigations are centered on DNA analyses of morphotypes collected from different geographical locations, namely Lenga and Isla Santa Marfa, Region VIII (36 degree 00' S to 38 degree 00' S), and Maullfn, Region X (39 degree 30' S to 43 degree 40' S). These two regions of Chile are considered as areas of confluence of G. chilensis, G. verrucosa, and a species of Gracilariopsis. In this study four morphotypes, from a natural bed located in Maullin, were analyzed for RFLP of plastid DNA and the results compared with data of four morphotypes from a bed in Lenga. The DNA banding patterns from each enzyme digest were identical irrespective of morphotypes and/or locations. In an attempt to unravel the nature of the morphological differences found among Lenga and Maullfn morphotypes, RAPD analyses of nuclear DNA were also performed; however, no polymorphism has been found yet. Therefore, the data of this study, as well as concurrent data from preliminary interfertility tests, suggest that all morphotypes belong to a single taxon, Gracilaria chilensis.